1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to headgear. In particular, the invention relates to an improved visor, or cap and visor, where the visor has a portion that can be pivoted and set in one of several fixed positions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Visored caps have long been used to keep the sun out of the wearer's eyes for outdoor sports, and have become a fashion accessory in their own right. The advantages of using the crown of a cap to display logos, messages, and even advertising are widely recognized. Placing such messages on the visor has little effectiveness however, because the visor is substantially horizontal, and therefore not favorably inclined for viewing under normal conditions. The traditional horizontal bill that forms the visor for a conventional cap can also fail to provide adequate protection from glare and sun in some cases, such as late afternoon outdoor viewing.
A number of devices have been created to address the need for added protection from glare and direct sunlight. These devices are mostly in the nature of add-on devices that clip, screw, or otherwise attach to the bill/brim of a cap or hat. Since they were not designed to be part of the headgear from the beginning, the resulting combination is often unattractive, even tacky in appearance. Also, many of the add-on devices by their nature can be easily knocked off the headgear, so that the user finds it necessary to remove and store the device when putting the headgear away, which becomes tedious over time. Examples of devices with these disadvantages are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,665,513, issued to Thomas on Apr. 10, 1928, U.S. Pat. No. 2,654,089, issued to Tannenbaum on Oct. 6, 1953, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,841, issued to Valletta on Feb. 20, 1996.
Thus, a need remains for headgear having a visor that can be adjusted for improved protection from glare and sun, and for favorably displaying pictures and text. Such a piece of headgear should have an integral construction, both for providing pleasing aesthetics and to prevent the possibility of losing removable attachments. As always, a device that is simple in structure and inexpensive to manufacture is also desired.